FrieslandCampina restructures production in three operating companies in the Netherlands

1 December 2015

FrieslandCampina will restructure the production in the operating companies FrieslandCampina Cheese, FrieslandCampina Butter and Ecomel (organic dairy). As a result of this restructuring, about 140 jobs will be made redundant in the next two years. At the same time a total of about 30 million euro will be invested in the expansion of production plants.

Closure of FrieslandCampina Cheese in Rijkevoort

The cheese production of FrieslandCampina Cheese in Rijkevoort will be transferred to the production plants in Bedum, Gerkesklooster and Workum (all in the Netherlands). This will lead to a loss of 55 permanent jobs and 13 temporary jobs in Rijkevoort. The closure is scheduled for the third quarter of 2017. The activities of FrieslandCampina Creamy Creation and Canned Cream, where 70 employees work, will remain in Rijkevoort.

FrieslandCampina Butter in Den Bosch: focus on its most important processes

FrieslandCampina Butter in Den Bosch (the Netherlands) will focus on skimming milk and packaging butter. The preparation of butter specialities for industrial buyers will be relocated to FrieslandCampina Butter in Noordwijk (Groningen, the Netherlands). This will lead to a loss of 21 permanent jobs and 19 temporary jobs. Jobs for 71 employees will remain in Den Bosch. The adjustment of the organisation will commence in the first quarter of 2016.

Concentration of organic dairy in Maasdam under Campina-brand

FrieslandCampina will concentrate the production of organic dairy, including the ‘Campina Boer en Land’ brand, in its location in Maasdam (the Netherlands) and will close the small scale production location in Limmen (the Netherlands) mid-2016. The closure will lead to a loss of 26 permanent jobs and 4 temporary jobs. In the Netherlands FrieslandCampina will market the organic activities under the Campina-brand. Weerribben Zuivel will take over the Zuiver Zuivel brand. FrieslandCampina will continue to sell organic butter and cream for food processing businesses under its trade name Ecomel. These measures will support FrieslandCampina’s growth plans in organic dairy and will not have any consequences for the 122 organic and 11 biodynamic member-farmers of Zuivelcoöperatie FrieslandCampina U.A.

Social Plan

The transfer of production will not create new jobs in other FrieslandCampina production plants. The employees and trade unions have been informed and the workers councils have been asked for advice. The Social Plan of FrieslandCampina will apply to employees with an employment agreement for an indefinite time. FrieslandCampina will support the employees involved in finding a new job within or outside FrieslandCampina.